Hill Residential has submitted proposals to build the properties in Failand
A substantial development featuring 200 homes could be built next to a remarkably triangular Somerset village.
Failand in North Somerset possesses a distinctive appearance when viewed on any map. The 350 properties that comprise this settlement occupy a flawless triangular space bounded by Clevedon Road, Weston Road, and Flax Bourton Road.
However, a significant planning submission has now been lodged that might witness the village expanding beyond its characteristic geometric form.
Property developers Hill Residential have presented proposals to North Somerset Council seeking approval for up to 200 dwellings on the field situated west of Flax Bourton Road.
Within documentation accompanying their submission, the developers said: “This is an opportunity to create a connected and inclusive place at the edge of Failand, one that strengthens the village from within, promotes active travel, and responds meaningfully to its local context and community needs.”
The properties would maintain “relatively low density,” featuring a combination of terraced, detached, and semi-detached dwellings reaching a maximum of two storeys.
Street trees would line every thoroughfare whilst homes would showcase “simple, traditional building forms.”
The triangular area that currently constitutes the majority of Failand was initially known as the Sixty Acre Plantation, though peripheral development began during the post-war era, with the interior of the “Failand Triangle” gradually being populated from the 1970s onwards. Nevertheless, expansion has remained contained within the triangle due to its surrounding green belt designation.
As North Somerset strives to meet its target of constructing nearly 24,000 homes over the next 15 years, certain areas are being removed from the green belt for new housing allocation – though this particular site is not among them.
However, the developers argue the site should be classified as “grey belt,” a designation introduced in the Labour government’s planning reforms for lower-quality green belt land suitable for development.
One local resident objecting to the proposals described labelling the site as grey belt as “disingenuous.”
They continued: “Failand is a rural village with a strong sense of community and a peaceful, village-centred way of life. Large-scale development and the commercialisation that comes with it would irreversibly change the heart and identity of our village. Once lost, the character and charm that makes Failand so special cannot be regained.”
A total of nine individuals have submitted objections to the proposals.
Another warned: “The land is occupied by deer, badgers, bats, foxes and insects, all of which need the trees, flowers and hedgerows to survive and flourish. We must protect local wildlife and address issues that affect biodiversity in a negative way.”
